Rail-anchor.



- B. B. BETTS.

RAIL ANCHOR. APPLIOATION rum) MAR. s, 1909.

Patented July 4, 1911.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1 B. B. BETTS;

RAIL ANCHOR.

APPLICATION FILED MAB 8; 1909.

996,905; Patented July 4, 1911 I 2 SHBETSSHBET 2.

and a resident ot-the city will enable others skilled formed that it may be quickly appliedjto a vices of the class known as rail anchors or anti-creepers.

Letters 1 mm. Patented July Application filed March 8, 1909. Serial No. 481,981.

996,905. Specification of To all whom it may concc'rnk backwardlyand Be it known that I BENJAMIN B. BE'rrs, a citizen of theUnited States of America,

of St. Louis,- Missouri, mechanical engineer, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Rail-Anchors, of which the following-is afull, true, and exact description, such as in the art to make thus carries the anchor away from the tie.

Still further objects of my invention will appear hereinafter. A a

y invention resides, generally, in a rail anchor or (anti-creeper which comprises a bar having rail engaging portions or hooks at its ends together with a strut, lug or arm formechat one end of saidbar and adapted to hold said end away from the cross tie while permitting the other end of the bar to move toward the cross tie, whereby said porand use the same.

invention relates to means for preventing the longitudinal movement or creeping of railroad rails and has particular reference to improvements in de opposite sides-or edges tightened thereon by the pivoting or turn ing movement. of said bar upon the rail. he invention also includes various novel. formations and constructions, hereinafter described, which insure the complete performance of the proper functions of a positive rail anchor or anti-creeper.

I have shown several, though not all, forms and features of my invention in the accompanying drawings. These drawings constitute a part of this specification and by reference thereto a thorough understanding of the invention may be secured.

' Figure l of the drawings is a plan View of a rail and an anti-creeper or anchor .embodying my invention. Fig. 2 is an end view of the cross tie, anchor and rail; Fig. 3 shows the end of the railand the side of the rail anchor, being an elevation in the plane of the side of the cross tie, as upon line X of Fig. 2; Fig. 4 is a sectional view of the rail anchor on the line YY of Fig. 1; Fig. 5 is a sectional view on the line Z--Z of Fig. 1; Fig. 6 is a plan View of a modified form of myrail anti-creeper; Fig. 7' isf'a side view of the modified rail anchor; Fig. 8 is an end view erect; perspective view of the wedgeused at'the free end of the anchor; and Fig. '19 is a sectional View on the line U -'U of Fig. 5, the

rail being omitted.

Throughout the drawings, A, representsa rail and, B, a cross tie! The rail here shown is of ordinary cross section havin the usual T base flanges, a-a. The bottom The object of this present' invention is to provide a rail anchor which shall be readily applicable to and removable from a rail, which having been applied to a rail shall be adapted to cooperate with an adjacent 'cross tie and elfectively resist and prevent longitudinal movemenhof the rail thereon and which shall be simple, strong and durable. I

' A further object of my invention is to provide a rail anchor or anti-creeper which after being placed on a rail and against a cross tie will be automatically tightened upon the rail by the longitudinal thrust thereof. I

Another object of. the invention is to provide a rail anchor or anti-creeper which shall be adapted for application to and cooperation with a railwithout modification in the form or contour of the latter and without resort to bolts, rivets, or the like.

A further and special objectof the iiivention is to provide a rail anchor which shall be complete in one piece or member, 'great strength and effectiveness, so

rail and secured or locked thereon without resort to special tools or wrenches.

Another object ofthe invention is to provide a rail stay which shall be capable of retaining its looking or clamping position upon the rail when the latter, by reason of the reversal of the tide of trailic, moves tions or hooks, having been engaged with of the rail, will be Fig; 9 is a c the device and thus moves them into work- "ing engagement with theirail flange piece or creeper.

principal parts or integral portions, n the bar portion, 1, the rail engaging por arm ' edon the. rail the bottom, a,

a" of the flanges are slightly inclined.

aa" arethe edges of the rail base. The cross tie B is the usual wooden or metal cross tie, upon which the rail rests, the rail at right s (not shown) as usual, serve to prevent the lateral displacement of therail on the tie.

' the longituof the rail designed to longitudinal movement of the tie being arranged other fastening and the cross angles. Spikes or these devices do not prevent dinal movement or creeping across the tie. My inve'fitionis prevent such rail.

This device is made up-o or hooks, 2 and 3,, and the power or lug, 4.

engagi g portions,'-2 and 3, is greater than This makes it. possible to put the device on the rail as de scribed.- After it is thus positioned". it may be pivoted, rotated, moved or twisted upon full lines in Fig.

1. This movement-between the anchor and. the, rail serves to decrease the transverse ,dijstance between-the rail engaging portions of .the dotted position (of Fig. 1) to that shown;

the width of the rail.

the rail as indicated by the time that the nchor is pivoted or its arm, against the tie,

gaging parts,2 and 8, are 1n locking positions at such time and as I of the anchor is prevented by the tie, it 15 secures the rail against movement toward andupon'the tie.. It is also evident that any forward movement of the rail will tend to further turn or clamp the anchor upon the'rail, as suc the angularity obvious that the anchor movement tends to increase of the engaged parts.

The bar portion, 1,.of the rail anchor is referably substantially rectangular in cross best disposition of metal to resist the tension to. which the bar are section, such being the is subjected, when the portions-2 and 3 strongly .width of the baris necessary strength pressed against the rail.

the bar is preferably of the rail. forms a continuation of the bar,

surface of But That form of my invention which is illustrated in Figs, 1 to 5 comprises a single single member rail anchor or antif four amely tions strut hen placed in one position (see dotted lines Fig.1) the device may bereadily raised into engagement with the bottom of the rail and interloc ed with the edges or flanges thereof. The space betweentherail At twist-,' 4:, is also set up B, and as the hooks or enbodily movement sufficient to give .it the resist the bending force to which it is subjected in work when, either hook, serves as the fulcrum. The top flat to fit The hook, 2, 1, and itslower surface, 2, is coincident with the top and is of considerable longitudinal extent, affording contact at many points, but said width than the hook, thelatter being cut back on the outer side (see dotted lineQ). to increase the 'effectivedistance between the hooks 2 and 3, as hereinafter. more fully preferably overhangs the inner edge of the bar, 1, i. e, the edge adjacent to the-tie,.B, and the end 2? of the hook is curved part of the hook, 2,; insuresthe gripping of causes the hook to score the rail and wedge tightly there-on as well asengage theedge of the rail when the anchor 1s shifted from in full lines. The elasticity of the. metal hook permits both the vertical and"horr;- zont'al engagement referred to. Aniiulegr ti. rib, 2, preferably in line with the ruautral aXis of the bar 1, adds to the strength of the hook,,2. This rib'merges with the end of the hook and with the underside of the bar and hook.

1, is preferably of the. same order as the hook, 2, but differs slightly therefrom. As in-the case of the hook, 2, the hook, 3, forms a continuation of the bar, 1. Its lower surface 3 is preferably coincident with the top of the bar and the upper surf clined to correspond to the inclined top of the railbase to be engaged thereby, The end surface '3", *2". groove or gap in the hook is preferably The formed to engage the edge of theraihas-in- 'dicated in Fig. 1. But preferably, the .V groove, at the outer end 3 is too small to freely admit the edge of the rail and hence the' pressure of the hook on the rail is eaerted upon the top as well as against the edge of the rail. When thedevice is in action the force-of the two rigidly connected. hooks is suflicientto prevent the rail from of said bar. The upper surface, Q", of the described. The end or point, 2", of the hook' or beveled rearwardly and outwardly to meet.

both'the top and'bottom, of the rail base'andace, 3, is in-.

a. the bottomof the V.

clamping surface, 2,"is preferably of less the anchor on the railand the Hit) at the point of juncture betweenthe bar The hook, 3, at the opposite end of the bar,

facewithout sacrificing any part of the free gles to the bar. 1

Q on. the railone edge of the rail is entered in ,creeping,ormovingon the cross tie. I prethe rail anchor. I prefer alsothat the ,tlu it'tliehook,.3, shall beiwider than the cramping clamp constituted by the bar and ook, andil' preferably strengthen the the two hooks shall have an actual power "saniei by neansof three ribs, 3 3?, and 3.'. arm to the end that the pressure to which Theseribsare-in-tegral with the hookand 'merge with theend thereof and with the bar, 1, at th'e pointof juncture between the hook and said On, theltop, the ribs, 3 are fp'referablyj setj. o be at right' angles to the raillwhengthe,device isin working position, such being. the most effective position in relation to the forces which tend to open or spread thepoint or end of the hook. On tlre bott om, theribs are preferably arranged in line with the bar, the same being here called upontoprevent the bending down of the hook as a whole upon the end of the bar. extreme-point or outer end, 3 of the 100k, 3,,preferably overhangs the outer or remoteiedgeof the bar, 1, and in this manner I secure anentension of the clamping sur the device-is subjected between the rail and the tie shall be resolved into fOI'CQS'Wl'llCll tend to thrust the hook, 3,,laterally against the rail base and also increase the cramping action of the two hooks thereon, and both permit and aid the movement of the free end of the bar toward the cross tie. I therefore employ an arm or strut, 4, which isin; tegral with and joins the hook, This strut merges into the back of the hook, 3; the cross ribs formed thereby add considerably to the strength of said hook. The power arm is preferably inclined downwardly and rearwardly toward the tie and also outwardly in my from the rail, as clearly shown'in Figs. 1 and 3. The end of the arm is enlarged to form the pressure foot, 4P for which the tie serves as the abutment. I prefer that the upperend, 4 of the foot shall be somewhat below the plane of the bottom of the rail for tworeasons; first, to facilitate the placing of the anchor on the rail, and second, to effect a downward cramping action upon the body of the rail .anchor. It is desirable also to avoid direct pressure upon the relatively weak corner edge of the tie.

As the rail anchor, when in locked position and in tightening, rocks upon the pressure foot as a fulcrum, I prefer to form the foot as a rocker and to this end I curve its broad bearing surface, 4, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2. It will be obvious that as the hook, 2, moves toward the tie, the pressure foot will move outwardly upon the side of the tie and the curved bearing sur-. face permits this movement and prevents the splinteihlg o'r tearing of the tie. i The arm, 4, may be round or oval in "crosssecj tion and either solider hollow, but-" in most cases I prefer that its cross section shall be: of an inverted U shape, as shown by dotted lines in Figs. 2 and 3. The strut or arm, Q, is most effectively arranged at substantially right. angles to the main axis of the device and Ipreferthat it shall form a slight obtuse angle with the inner edge or side of the bar, 1, thereby securing the advantages of both a strut and a power arm, It will now be evident that from the moment that the two hooks grip the rail, either actual movement of the rail toward the tie, or end thrust thereon, effected" through the powerarm strut, will- 'tend to-force the hook, 3, upon the railand increase the angu-larity of the device as a whole on the rail. The parts or members of the device are formed to resist t e maximum'end thrust of the rail and the self gripping or automatic resisting action of the connected hooks insures the retention rail receiving space between the two hooks 2 i and 3. The formv of the V groove or gap in the hook,3, willbe readily understood upon reference. to Figs. 1, 2, and 4. The end 3" of the hook, 3, is at substantially right an- 0., to the axis thereof so ,that -it will pass the rail edge when the an; chor is in the position shown by dotted lines in Fig. 1. Thereforein putting the anchor thehoolnfl, and the bar, 1, beingthrown at substantially right angles to the rail, the end -,of the hook ,3, may be raised past the opposite edge of the rail; very slight twisting of theanchor on the rail then serves to turn the end or point of the hook, 3, over the edgeof the.railandinterlock the rail and anchor. The further the device is angled .or twisted on the rail, the tighter it is clamped thereon, foruonce the hook,,3', binds or clamps upon the rail, the tension-from the hook, 2, as it moves to.\'vafr d the tie, draws .the'hook, 3, more ,and more firmly upon the rail, until the combined pressure of the'hooks becomes so great as to preventfurther movement. But this, obviously, wouldnot be the case if theihook,8, were notheld at asubstantially fixed distance from the tile during the forward movement of the free end of the anchor; :It 'will be obvious also; hat thepoint, .3 of.-the hook, 3, when rotatively engaged with the rail, will slightly compressor score the top-thereof. This-compression .or scoring of the railby the opposite hooks, asstated,v interlocks the; anchor, with the rail and} revents retrog'r'essive movement of the anchor,w .t he latteris relieved fromr'ail pressure against'th'e tie. f For many reasons, I prefer that the strut or stop portion through whichthe thrust of therai iscommunicatedkto and taken up by the cross-tie ,shall bean integral part of i0. tially parallel with the cross tie. The strut,

" formation as to its-end or point, which may and the bearing surface, 9f, of hook, 9, is

eshereinafter described. Obviously also, a

tion of the strut or power arm of the device '65 shown in'Fig. 6, may conform to the des1gn illustrated in Fig. 1, or as shown the ribs may be disposed in. lines that are substantially parallel with the axis of the bar,

6, and the strut may be of T section, terminating in the broad pressure foot, 7'.

As various modifications of my invention will readily suggest themselves to one skilled in theart, I donot limit or confine the invention to the specific structures herein shown and described.

Havingthus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent:

1. A rail anchor bar having rail engaging hook portions-at its ends andprovided with'a projecting power arm at one end, said arm being formed to exert diagonal thrust on the bar and to hold said end away from the cross tie and permit and aid the other 5 end to move toward'the cross tie, substantially as described.

' 2.. A rail anchor havingintegral rail base engaging portions at its ends and provided with a projecting off-setpower'arm at one said end, said arm bein' formed to exert diagonal thrust on said end and to hold said ,end away. from the cross-tie and ermit and aid the other end to move towar the cross tie, substantially as described. 3. A rail anchor having integral rail base, engaging hooks at its ends and an integral offset power arm at one said end, to engage a cross tie, saidarm being. formed to hold its end ofthe rail anchor away from the crosstie, to thrust said end diagonally upon 7 the rail and to permit and aid the opposite end to move toward the cross tie,' substan 'tially as described. Y

,ofthe'rail after. the anchor hasbeen firmly set. byeharnmer: blows and slight initialcreepii,;g of the rail." p Several; advantages of my invention may 5 be secured-in a rail an her of the modified form-shown in Figs. 6 to 10." In this case the: crossbar, 6, is intended to occupy substantially perpendicular position across the "bottomofthe'rail and-hence to be substan- 7,419 of the. order; before described and is integral with the end of the bar, 6. The hook, 8, corresponds to the previously described-hook, 3,-but is of slightly diiierent terminate in a line, 8, that is parallel with the-edge of the rail. base. The hook, 9, at the free end of the bar is provided with a .bearing surface, 9', separated from the line, 20 ,"by aspace sufficient. to admit 'the base jotthe rail. VVhen the anchor has been placed on the rail, the book, 8, is engaged withone flangethereof and the space which is left between the other edge of the rail closed by a small wedge or gib, 10, that is driven into, the hook, 9. Forward movement of the rail tends to tighten the-.wedge in-the hook, 9, and therefore tends to Xert 341a} drawing action on the hook, 8, whereby both' hooks are tightly gripped upon the rail. For ,further security and to prevent retrogressive action of the railanchor on the rail, when-the latter reverses its move- 35 ment, I'prefer to provide the. bearing sur- --face, 8, of the hook, 8, withanumberof teeth, 11, and also provide the wedge, 10, with teeth, 10. The teeth, 11, of the hook; 8,-are so disposed that they do not specially 10 resist the forward-movement of the rail, but 1 they do effectually resistforces which would tend to loosen'the rail anchor on the rail- 'The teeth of the-wedge, 10, are disposed op- --positely to those of the hook, 8, whereby the 45 wedge is driven in the directionof movementof the rail. The latter 'tend to tighten the. wedge in the hook,- 9, but when the rail movement, is reversed and relieves the rail .anc'hor'from pressure against thecross tie, 50 allfretroactive or retrogressive movement of the hook, 9, is prevented by .the presence of the'firmly lodged wedge. It is obvious that teethlof this'character may be'p-rovided in the bearing surfaces of the hooks, 2 and 3,

having-integral rail base engaging hooks angularly disposed upon'its ends and provided with an offset power arm integral with one of said hooks, forming substantially a right angle withthe innerlside of said bar and adapted to exert diagonal thrust upon its hook and hold it away from the cross'tie whilepermitting and aiding the other hook to move toward the cross-tie, substantially as described.

'5. A rail'anchor; comprising in. one piece of metal, a bar having rail base engaging hooksxor jaws, the bearing surfacesfof which are separated bya distance; exceeding the 'width'of a rail base, a power arm strut or arm carried by said bar'at the end thereof which is most remote -from the-tie when the device is in use, said strut being perpendicular to the. longitudinalaxis of said bar, substanwed e either-toothed or plain,- like unto the;

" wedge, 10, maybe employed in the book, 2, of: the device shown in Fig. 1. .They are I primarily intended to prevent the shifting 6e of the anchoron the rail, when it is rel eved fromthe thrust of the rail. The. clamping or cramping action-of the anchor is all suflicient to prevent the rail from creeping. The. details relating to the ribs and the 'forma- 6.-. A rail anchor comprising a bar of substantially ninetyde ree bellcrank form,having a tie abutment oot at one end and a rail 4. A rail anchor comprising a cross bar 105 tially as described,

996,505 5' ong): 'ngoporti'on at the; other end and proset my vi e ..w1th. a, second rail engaging portion at: its angle or knee, the end of said bar hand, this 4th day of 'Mafch, 1909, in e the presence of two subscribing Witnesses.

,Whieh has-the abutment foot being disposed BENJAMIN T 5 diaionally to the tie, substantially as de- Witnessesi .sori ed. G. L. BROOKS,

In testimony whereof I- have hereunto. F. J. 0. WILSON. 

